Portfolio course offered at the Light Factory →

Added on by bryce lankard.

DEFINING YOUR VISION AND DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL STYLE
Many artists are defined by a signature style. This vision can be exemplified by subject matter, technique or other methods that make their work readily identifiable. This course will help guide you to a more mature vision of your work. Editing and critiques of existing work, and examinations of the signature styles of master photographers, will help bring your own personal vision into focus. Students will be asked to bring a selection of their best work and related outtakes (contact sheets, work prints, digital files). They will be encouraged (but not required) to create new work or print new discoveries that fit their theme. Our goal will be to create a 12-15 image portfolio of your signature style.
I am encouraging my past students to post/link to the work they created in my previous class. The next class starts soon, so visit http://www.light-factory.org/defining-your-vision for more details.

New Orleans Photo-based artists take Manhattan

Added on by bryce lankard.

"Delugians" exhibit at Salomon Arts showcases the work of lens-based artists whose work was influenced by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
83 Leonard Street, 4th floor (Tribeca) , New York, NY-  September 16-October 16, 2010. Opening reception: Thursday, September 16, 6-9pm
Graphic images of a landscape of destruction…New Orleanians have seen enough of them. As the 5th anniversary of the Hurricanes and flooding that devastated New Orleans and the Gulf coast approaches, many of these images will, no doubt, resurface. The collection of art in “Delugians” focuses on a different aspect of the aftermath, how the emotional, social, and psychological effects of this catastrophe manifest themselves in the work of 4 lens-based artists. Curator, Bryce Lankard, has worked closely with many artists, particularly photographers, in the New Orleans post-Katrina environment, most notably through the foundation of the New Orleans Photo Alliance, a non-profit photographic arts organization that began shortly after the natural and man-made disaster.

Iconic Jazz Photographer, Herman Leonard, passes away at 87.

Added on by bryce lankard.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Herman Leonard yesterday, Saturday, August 14, 2010.  Herma
n was a rare human being, always giving and compassionate.  It goes without saying Herman was a great photographer and artist, who loved Jazz music and created a stunning visual collection of the world he loved so much.  (http://www.hermanleonard.com/)
If you are not fortunate enough to already be familiar with his name, no doubt you have seen his work. Simply put, he created icons. HIs distinctive way of capturing the Jazz world has influenced the unconscious way we perceive and visualize jazz. Smoky and spotlit, intimate and joyful, he gave us access to the legends of the genre. 
His photographs are also a reflection of how he lived, youthful, joyful, and giving. After having lived and worked in Paris, New York, and San Francisco, he moved to New Orleans in 1991, where he found a place perfectly suited to call home. “When I moved here, I found my place,” he said in 2003. “I’ve never felt myself more comfortable in my skin than New Orleans.” I had the rare pleasure of working with Herman soon after he moved to New Orleans. My magazine, Tribe, was doing a profile on our new resident legend and I had the privilege of spending many hours with him pouring over his books and images to select the best work for our story. I still have the book with our original post-it notes bookmarking our final selections. At his
70th birthday party, held in a French Quarter restaurant whose walls were filled with his images, Herman held court with the vitality and curiosity of a teenager and engaged everyone in attendance. He spoke of the new projects he was excited about and I recall being envious of his energy and hoping I would have half of it when I turned 70.
Herman Leonard’s legacy also serves as a reminder of the importance and fragility of our national culture and heritage. His home in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 was in the Lakeshore area that received eight feet of flood water. He lost 8,000 original prints to the flood waters and yet his story is a lucky one. He managed to save all his negatives and could begin printing again. Imagine what we would have lost otherwise. He evacuated to the Los Angeles area and set
 up a studio there, but continued to be involved in the New Orleans community. He was exceedingly generous, donating his prints to benefit non-profits, including the New Orleans Photo Alliance, which was launched after Hurricane Katrina. 

It should come as no surprise then that, in lieu of flowers, Herman’s family has asked that donations be made to The New Orleans Musicians Clinic, an organization close to his heart. ”

 "Above all, enjoy the music"  - Herman Leonard : March 6, 1923 - August 14, 2010